Soul Jazz Records’ new Power Pop! American Power Pop for the Now Generation 1977-1981 brings together a wealth of punk/power pop/new wave tunes from American bands that were all originally released in the USA on small and independent labels in the late ‘70s/early ‘80s. Taking both their do-it-yourself aesthetic and super-charged adrenalin from punk and new wave, these groups also harked back to the golden age of pop music of the 1960s and 1970s with their soaring sing-a-long melodies. Most of these records were self-published private-press 45s, made in very limited editions and were often the only tracks ever released by these groups. Original copies of these singles fetch crazy prices – such as Ambulance’s ‘It’s All Up to You’ (£400+), The Normals’ ‘Hardcore’ (£300+), or the Fingers’ ‘Isolation’ (last sold on Discogs for £2,960!).
Despite their rarity these records remain both beautifully crafted 3-minute musical gems, and long-lost micro-histories of an essentially hidden genre. The album comes with extensive sleevenotes and exclusive photography and artwork. Featured bands here include The Reactions, Dow Jones and The Industrials, The Reruns, The Shoes, Fingers, The Scruffs, Nasty Facts and more. Exclusive one-off pressing on heavyweight single red transparent vinyl + download code.
This is a 2026 Record Store Day Release.